1253 days

My dad officially had Alzheimer's 1253 days.
He was diagnosed on 6/21/2004 and he died on 11/26/2007.
It's been 1253 days since he died (as of today, 05/02/2011).
It's been as many days since he died as the length of time he--WE--suffered through the trials and terrors of Alzheimer's.
The 1253 days that he was sick took forever to pass.
The 1253 days he's been gone have been a blink of an eye.

Some days, I really miss my dad.  I just adopted a rescue cat.  He would have loved to hug this big old cat and would have been able to help me calm him and integrate him into the household.  He never really knew the other cats I have now--I'd had Sputz 6 weeks and Ursi only 1 week when my dad was taken away.  He never saw my mom's dog and cat become friends.  He doesn't know I've lost 100 lbs or published books or that this blog is #1 on Google ("Alzheimer's Blog").   He hasn't seen the deck we built last summer or the new hardwood floor in the birdroom.  Hell, he doesn't know all my birds died (unless they are up there with him in the Elsewhere Bar--I like to think they are).  He doesn't know that some Navy Seals shot Osama Bin Laden in the head yesterday.   My dad would have been 71 this summer.  He should still be here.
Alzheimer's robbed my dad of all these things and more.  Alzheimer's robbed me and my mom of so many things.  My mom will never be the same.  Being a caregiver for 1253 days stripped something essential out of her that is never going to come back. 
My dad was always into playing his "special" numbers in the lottery.  He'd be telling me I should play 1253 in the Daily 4.  I'm going to Stop and Shop tomorrow, I'll pick up a ticket. If I win, I'll donate the money to Alzheimer's.